1. New Orleans Pelicans
Utah vs New Orleans: 3-1
Much like matchups against the Spurs or Timberwolves, this potential series is becoming more and more unlikely as the season winds down.
Jazz fans, however, should be chomping at the bit for any chance to play New Orleans in the postseason’s opening round. Not only would it feature two of the league’s most talented young big men in Rudy Gobert and Anthony Davis, it would also provide Utah with its best chance to advance to the second round.
Utah is 3-1 this season against the Pels including 24 and 17-point wins in their two most recent games.
Despite a tough schedule, New Orleans has played well recently. Their success, however, doesn’t go much deeper than Davis and Jrue Holiday.
The Pelicans just played 5 games in 6 days, going 4-1 (only loss to the Rockets).
— StatMuse (@statmuse) March 23, 2018
Anthony Davis in those 5 games:
31.6 PPG
10.8 RPG
2.2 BPG
62.9 FG%
+42 pic.twitter.com/Ep0z6NMabN
The current playoffs format allows coaches to key in on certain players and matchups more so than in a regular season game. Quin Snyder should have no problem assessing effective ways to disrupt the Pelicans’ inside-outside punch.
Utah already boasts one of the league’s most stifling defenses. If Utah can continue to find ways to score at an efficient clip, I don’t see a Pelicans-Jazz series going longer than six games.
Prediction: Jazz win 4-2
Next: Bleacher Report calls Utah Jazz “the team no one wants to face in the playoffs”
Who would you most like to see the Jazz play in the first round? Let me know in the comments below or tweet me your thoughts @TylerDThorpe.